WkWT Brandon Marsh :: 06 January 2018

Still the first week of the year and my second outing. This time there was no specific bird in my sights but it had been quite a while since I went to WkWT Brandon Marsh so off I set. It was a cold morning with ice covering the car and the temperature still below freezing. Gentle set off aware that black ice may be an issue with Kat’s wide rear wheel drive.

On the hill up the Southam Road, atop a tree on the right, sat a peregrine - perhaps the same one noted by Gareth (@Grimsburybirding) recently. Nothing else of note on the remaining journey.

Through the Visitor’s Centre and onto the path I immediately caught sight of a jay. I stopped to observe and to my surprise the bird flew left and into a tree where I could see it better. As I headed for New Hare Covert I saw the jay again and followed it onto the waters edge where it flew on further than I could follow. I continued on and within another couple of minutes I saw two jay and had some reasonable views although not great photos due to poor light.

As I reached the tall trees at the centre of the New Hare Covert I saw treecreeper and while watching this also found goldcrest; last year I couldn’t buy a goldcrest sighting but no such problem this year. More sightings of the jays but becoming more distant. As I turned to walk between Swallow and East Marsh Pools, looking down the gated lane I could see a mixed flock which comprised Siskin, goldfinch and a couple of dunnock and reed bunting.

From the Wright Hide I saw a fine male goldeneye and shoveler ducks, but none of the snipe or wigeon listed in the last week.

Nothing else of note around the rest of the reserve other than the constant presence of goldcrest across all areas. More treecreeper too. The rain started while I was in the Carlton Hide but fortunately became intermittent and allowed me to get back to the car without getting too wet. From the Visitor's Centre I also added nuthatch and willow tit.

Back via Bicester Village I also added buzzard, red kite and collard dove taking my year list to 59.

Sightings on the reserve (37) included: black-headed gull, blackbird, blue tit, bullfinch, canada goose, carrion crow, chaffinch, coal tit, coot, cormorant, dunnock, goldcrest, goldeneye, great spotted woodpecker, great tit, greenfinch, lapwing, long-tailed tit, magpie, mallard, moorhen, mute swan, nuthatch, pheasant, red kite, redwing, reed bunting, robin, rock dove / feral pigeon, shoveler, siskin, teal, tufted duck, willow tit, woodpigeon and wren.